The Black Wing by Mary Kirchoff

this tack. Her goal was to earn Led's
     trust, become a member of his party. Perhaps she should just agree to whatever he said.
     Led took note of her hesitation. ”Of course, if you can't cast spells, then you wouldn't
     be of much use to me....“ He spat casually and turned to leave. Onyx's reptilian-slitted
     pupils flared inside yellow irises. ”Now who's being ridiculous? I was merely scouting out
     a secluded spot for a demonstration.“ She looked at him archly. ”Unless, of course, you'd
     like me to throw a fireball down the street?“ ”Lower your voice and come with me, then."
     Leaving the ogres and Toba behind, Led
    took Onyx by the elbow and propelled her toward the mews between the inn and a
     wattle-and-daub house. Onyx ducked through the door of the deserted building and jerked
     her arm away. Flexing the tension from her shoulders, she concentrated on controlling her
     breathing. She'd been bluffing about a fireball, which was still beyond her ability. She
     closed her eyes and focused on a simple spell, basic to the dark nature of a black dragon.
    “Hey, whaf s going on?” cried Led, his voice cracking with surprise. Onyx opened her eyes.
     She and Led stood in absolute blackness. Her dragon sight allowed her to see Led in the
     dark. He was groping about wildly, unable to determine up from down. Led wavered like a
     stalk of overripe corn in a summer wind, then crashed to the ground. With a wave of her
     hand, Onyx dissipated the spell. As the darkness slipped away like mist, leaving sunlight,
     she extended a hand to Led. He slapped it away. “I was talking about a demonstration of
     your fighting skills/' he said. ”Don't ever use your magic on me again.“ Flustered, he
     twisted his clothing back into place under his armor. ”You'll get the same shares as Toba
     until you prove yourself in battle.“ He crossed his arms over his chest. 'Take it or leave
     it.” “I'll take it,” Onyx said, rocking back on her heels. Led jerked his head to indicate
     she should lead the way back to Toba and the ogres. It was not just bruised pride that
     made the human wonder at the wisdom of taking into his party someone more powerful than
     he. Led was a man to whom power was everything. Still, he reasoned, stealing it was far
     less taxing than earning it. A short time later, Onyx stood in flesh-pinching brigan-dine
     armor, waiting for a stable hand to bring in another horse for Led's approval. Led had
     chosen this “lightweight” armor from his personal collection because, “It's the best
     quality suit the jackanapes who calls himself the village armorer can alter to your size
     without ruining it.” The armor was composed of a layer of small metal plates riveted to an
     undercoat of soft leather. Over that was a mantle of noise-muffling quilted cotton
     batting. If the armor had not been so uncomfortable, Onyx would have been amused by the
     irony of protecting her human flesh with a parody of her dragon form. At least it kept her
     warmer than her tunic and leather jacket had. Following a few nips and tucks at the
     armorer's, Led selected a short sword from his weapons cache and buckled it around Onyx's
     waist. “Even if you never use it, just wearing it will make people think twice,” he'd
     said. Now Onyx stood girded as a warrior, watching as the sta-bleboy led a black mare to
     her and held out the reins. Onyx took the lengths of leather awkwardly. Nodding with
     satisfaction, Led patted the mare's shiny flanks and said to the boy, 'Tell your master
     we'll take her.“ Counting coin from his pouch, Led dropped ten into the boy's hand. ”Not
     one piece more.“ The boy scampered off between piles of dirty yellow hay. ”I'll take her
     price out of your first pay,“ Led told Onyx. Adjusting a strap, he laced his fingers and
     held them out to boost her onto the back of the horse. ”She's a nice piece of flesh. Her
     coloring suits you,